shoulder on curves

[Keith Christopher]

Anyone know if there is a plane that will do rabbets along curves ? Kinda a tall order but I was just wondering if anyone knew of any.


Keith

[Dave Anderson NH]

hi Keith-

There is such a plane, and it is a coachmaker's rabbet plane. It is short and has a highly curved sole. Other than rarity and the high prices on the antique market, there is also the issue of what sole radius you can find. I'm sure there is another hand tool solution, but right now my mind is drawing a blank.

[Leif Hanson]

There were also cooper's and wheelwright's planes that could do a curved rabbet - think of the lid of a wooden barrel, for an example.

Small rabbets can be done with scratch stock, or possibly a stanley 66 style beader type plane.

[Bob Smalser]

We do it routinely cutting the planking rabbet in curved boat stems, were the bevels aren't square with either face. Sometimes the faces on larger squared stock aren't perfectly square with each other, either...when the rabbet must be square with at least one face.

Problem with making carriagemaker's rabbet planes is the same as with shop-made wood compass planes....you need a different plane for each radius.

We take the usual route which is to make multiple kerfs using a circular saw to the extent you can, then breaking out the chips with a slick or framing chisel. Then the rabbet is cleaned up with an adjustable compass plane like my #113, getting the inside corner clean with chisel and slick.

The hand tool alternative is a flooring saw with lots of belly or draft in the teeth.

In boat yards you'll sometimes see circular saws with short soles set up just for that purpose. I've come to like the itty-bitty cordless ones that already have short soles...next one I do I'll make a second, shorter sole for it:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4775424/60398418.jpg

[Mark Singer]

I don't know if this breaks any rules.....A router!

[Doug Evans]

Stewart Spiers is known to have made a convex-bottomed infill rabbet, as well as a rabbet with a covex sidewall.

We are just experimenting with curved sidewall infill smoothers right now however, we have talked about spinning our wooden moulding plane experiments into some coachmakers planes.

With new equipment in January/February, we may be able to help you out with this one - provided you build out the prototype. What dimensions would you be looking for?

Cheers,

Doug

[Keith Christopher]

Stewart Spiers is known to have made a convex-bottomed infill rabbet, as well as a rabbet with a covex sidewall.

We are just experimenting with curved sidewall infill smoothers right now however, we have talked about spinning our wooden moulding plane experiments into some coachmakers planes.

With new equipment in January/February, we may be able to help you out with this one - provided you build out the prototype. What dimensions would you be looking for?

Cheers,

DougDoug,

I am looking for a low angle rabbeting plane that will be able to be to follow a curve or an arch. Not necessiarly a full circle. I have a LN 60 1/2R and it is amazing on straight tenons, and can even be sorta handled on curves that Bow outware (convex) but where a flowing arch turns convex forget it. the hard straight edge prevents it from getting into say a 3" - 5" radius. so perhaps what I'm looking for is a 3" rabbeting plane with convex sides that I could use for making curved tenons. of course the iron will have to go all the way to the edge. I will post a picture tomorrow to show what kind of radius I'm talking about. let me know if there something more specific you need I'm sure I haven't described what I'm looking for in enough detail.

so perhaps 3-5" long, low angle like a block plane with convex sides say 1.5-2" wide.


Keith

[Keith Christopher]

There were also cooper's and wheelwright's planes that could do a curved rabbet - think of the lid of a wooden barrel, for an example.

Small rabbets can be done with scratch stock, or possibly a stanley 66 style beader type plane.
Tried the straight edge of my LN beading tool, but it more scraped and chattered not really shaved like a plane (to be expected I guess) I pared the tenons with a chisel and they're ok and they fit, but compared to the straight tenons done with my LN Rabbet plane they look like crap. They're smooth and will work (no glue as they float) but I know there has to be an easier way to get them to fit.